Adelaide Writers’ Week cancelled after author row
One of Australia’s most important literary gatherings has been thrown into turmoil after organisers removed a high-profile Australian-Palestinian author from its programme, triggering mass withdrawals and the eventual cancellation of the festival’s Writers’ Week. The Adelaide Festival board announced last week that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah had been dropped from its Writers’ Week lineup, citing “sensitivities” following a deadly shooting at a Jewish cultural event in Bondi in December. Fifteen people were killed in that attack, which authorities said was inspired by the Islamic State group. Although the board said it was not suggesting any link between Abdel-Fattah and the attack, it argued that her past public statements made her appearance “culturally insensitive” in the current climate. Abdel-Fattah strongly rejected the move, describing it as an act of discrimination and censorship against Palestinians. The decision quickly sparked a wave of protest […]